methos's skills are found out
by methosalltheway
Summary: a story in which Duncan and Methos are together and Duncan worries over Methos's physical shape, spars with him, and unexpected consequences. it gets better after chapt 1... different.
1. Chapter 1

Duncan worked most days, mostly so he would be reminded to stay in impeccable shape. He always was pressing Methos to work out with him, to spar with him, usually he was met with a bored look and a dismissal.

He felt so protective of his new lover and the thought of anyone taking him away now was absolutely horrifying to him. Duncan knew he was in shape to say the least, he worked at it most days, always trying to be better than he was.

Methos on the other hand seemed content doing nothing all day but laying around, while he was at work.

That and drink beer he thought with a smile, thinking about all the time they spent at Joe's together. And some nights after he got off work and called him he was already there, having been putting them away for a few hours before him apparently.

Today though Duncan had just about had it with him and his not keeping him self in tip top condition, he demanded firmly that the man join him in the gym tonight after he'd closed up from the students.

Methos saw no way out of this since he'd put it off so long and grudgingly agreed to meet him there to spar, full out Duncan had said, with swords.

The older man decided to invite Joe down to watch if he was gonna have to do this mine as well have a watcher present, it would help keep Duncan calmer anyways Methos thought.

So Methos showed up at the correct time, with Joe in tow behind him, watching Duncan's reaction to the company he didn't know was going to be there. He looked a little disappointed but hid it quickly. So Methos began, 'best 2 out of 3?' and Duncan nodded in agreement, both of them starting to stretch and warm up a little.

Methos said 'this is nice and all but you know in a real fight you wouldn't have this luxury Duncan.'

'yes I know Methos', he said, 'but this isn't a real fight, it's simply practice'.

Methos did a few common stretches and moved thru some sword movements, while Duncan began an intricate form till he was calm and almost glowing.

'Ok, ready Methos?' Duncan said to him, and they moved to the center of the floor. Duncan soon found his offensive easily blocked and turned on him at times. They both were winded and sweaty, eventually Methos left some part open and Duncan got inside his defenses pausing at a killing blow, the next two matches went the same way. Duncan ended up wining, but not too easily.

He seemed assured at that, knowing Methos wasn't nearly that out of practice after all, and was even fairly good, because no one was better than he was he knew. He'd been told that many many times.

So they got cleaned up, Methos and Joe left to go to the bar with out him since he had to finish up some paper work.

When they got close to the bar Joe was talking about how Duncan should be content with that display in the gym, that he should leave him alone for a while.


	2. Chapter 2

As they got with in visible distance though Methos froze and Joe stopped as well looking around to see who it was he had sensed.

'Go hide Joe', Methos said as he saw the man coming towards him, pushing Joe behind a trash bin in the alley way they'd walked through. From where Joe was hiding he had a good if not perfect view of the two men as they got close enough to see each other clearly. Joe immediately pulled out his camera phone.

The other man laughed loudly and slowly 'I was here looking for the famous Duncan but it seems I have stumbled on to you, Methos'

Joe was worried now, the man knew who he was, seemed to know him was more worrying than that.

'Ah Marius still upset I killed your teacher all those years ago? Little long to hold a grudge, lets just walk away from this, I don't like to fight. But those that challenge Duncan challenge me first.'

The man laughed again this time with out pretense, as if he just couldn't hold it in any longer. 'You, don't like to fight, tell that lie to someone who doesn't know who you are Methos, what you are.'

'So you are not to be talked out of this now huh? You know there is a difference between not liking to fight and not being able to fight don't you, you stupid stupid man. Fine, now you will die just like your pathetic teacher did,' Methos told him.

Marius drew his sword and walked towards where Methos was standing, as he got closer, Methos too pulled out his weapon, holding it with an air of familiarity and lightness Joe hadn't seen before from him.

Methos waited for the other immortal to make the first move before engaging blades, then it was a clash of metal and sweeping motions Joe could barely follow they were so fast. -This was a man that was good enough to have taken Duncan- was Joe's first thought, this old one that Methos fought now, and Methos seemed completely at ease, effortlessly blocking the blows with a tight smile curving his lips in the pleasure of the battle.

Had Methos done this before, taken on ones searching for Duncan that he thought Duncan couldn't beat? It would seem so from what he'd implied.

Methos was just playing with him Joe realized, he could end this any time he wished, the other man was getting winded and starting to slow, but Methos seemed fresh as though they'd just began.

Methos smiled brightly now and said to him, 'you know the students are always easier to beat than the teachers. You should have walked away' and with that he sliced up his chest and took the wrist holding the sword off completely, then the other one for good measure.

'I don't take lightly to those that threaten mine,' Methos said to the pained shocked man. Then he kicked him down to the ground, pulling out a dagger from no where, and stabbed him under the rib cage deeply in a clearly practiced motion. Then reached underneath with his hand, up to his arm in blood that gushed from the wound, and then pulled down hard, holding something tight in his hand showing it to the dieing or dead man before he cut his head off finally.

Methos tossed something to the side before the quickening came, and it landed right over by where Joe was hidden. Joe shook his head to clear it staring at the bloody piece before realizing what it was, a heart. Methos had known how to cut a mans heart out, easily, and fast as lighting. Something he obviously had to have had done many many times to do that fast.


	3. Chapter 3

Joe didn't know what to do, to run, to stay where he was hidden, to get up and see if Methos was alright after the quickening... Joe took some deep breaths and decided he should see how Methos was doing, if he could walk, to get him out of there before the cops and such showed up.

So he came out from behind the trash bin and made his way over to where the immortal still was kneeling breathlessly, 'come on Adam we've got to go, the cops will be here very soon. I'll buy you a drink or few'.

At that Methos seemed to perk up a little, getting up to a standing position, bending down over the dead body to wipe off his sword before putting it away in his coat, he also grabbed c's sword. Walking with Joe in silence to the bar just around the corner.

'Shit' Methos thought, 'shit!' over and over again. 'What was he gonna do with Joe now, fuck!' He'd rather liked the man too, but protection first was always his motto.

He looked grim as he sat down with Joe waiting for their drinks, Joe took a look at him, his expression, or lack there of, and decided his friend there may just kill him any min now, well not here but soon, very very soon. What could he do or say that could dissuade him or his plan. -Mine as well try anything- he thought, -nothing to loose anyways-.

Before he could get one word in edgewise Methos started speaking to him, 'don't play stupid Joe, I know you saw all of it. If you ever mention this in writing anywhere I will not hesitate to end you, got that?...'

By now Methos had put his Adam persona back on, the one he usually wore around both Joe, Duncan and every one.

He looked so uncertain, so uncomfortable, so meek.

'Look Joe, I think this whole thing would be better if we kept it from Duncan. Not that I got into a fight, because he'll know that immediately, but _about_ the fight, ok?' Methos said, 'you know I _can't _have people going around like him trying to kill Duncan, and you know he would have, right Joe? With out a second thought. He'd heard he was a good fighter, that was all the provocation he would have needed. His teacher and him as well, killed quite a few people who were rather close to me, quite a few times' Methos stopped and paused.

Then told Joe softly 'I've actually taken out quite a few now that would and could have taken Duncan. ones that just disappeared, ones that could have beat him easily... For gods sake Joe! Of course I can fight well, i'm still alive!'

Then Duncan came in, worried for Methos. Joe left them to chat a little amongst themselves hearing most of the conversation. Duncan was reassured and everything was back to normal.


	4. Chapter 4

Joe knew he would have to do something himself, would have to have Duncan find out, he could leave the recording out with an obvious label. Because he had of course made a recording of the fight on his trusty smart phone, top o the line, hd quality of course. Maybe something like that. Oops and such.

Later, maybe a month, Duncan was house sitting at Joes's and found a disk labeled 'Methos fight', and a date.

Duncan took the bait easily, as Joe knew he would. Opening his laptop he inserted the disk from Joe's desk wondering at why Joe had saved this. Why he hadn't turned it in to the watchers as Adam fighting... It opened automatically and began to play. Duncan saw what Joe saw, everything Joe saw.

Everything from Methos's skill level to the vicious way his lover had hacked up the mans body and then how he chose to pull out the mans still beating heart before the beheading.

Duncan thought- Methos had been vicious towards this man, who'd come searching for _HIM_, this man who Methos thought _he_, Duncan, couldn't take out.

His Methos had been certain of the out come of the fight if he allowed there to be one, he knew with all his years of experience that Duncan would die. This man who'd Methos seen as a threat to him he had immediate dispatched of.

But Methos, it turned out, was more than capable of besting him.

Methos is protecting him. Him. He was taking out the ones that could beat him in a fair fight. And everyone that didn't play fair too. Sure he hid even better than he'd thought. He'd had no idea that his lover could also be that person, the one with the blood-lust and amazing fighting skills.

Or maybe he did have to know on some level after the double quickening the took. He had known Methos had fought with his 3 brothers for a 1000 years. That's 1000 years of heavy sword work and practice.

Why would Methos not tell or show him his extensive skill level. He was still hiding behind Adam, still hiding him self from him. Still, after they'd been living together for months. Methos didn't want Duncan to know he could've beat him anytime he wished when they spared, and Duncan had taken some satisfaction in knowing Methos was in need of him for protection. That his skill level was only ok.

Duncan always encouraged him to practice more. He never would. Apparently though he did sometime, in some way, he kept in shape. He knew the lean muscled body that lay underneath those baggy clothes he preferred, the ones that he hid his shape in and disappeared seamlessly in crowds with. Methos's whole demeanor was meant to make him appear harmless and smaller than he was actually.

He'd thought Methos trusted him enough to let more of himself out but it seemed he still hadn't. He was still hiding beneath meekness.

The man he saw in that fight was strong, and menacing, very very menacing. He was haughty about the outcome and the blood-lust had descended. Hell Methos had ripped out the mans heart! What kinda person knows how to do that? Would choose to do that? Hearing the man was after him Methos had gone for blood.

And this seemed not to be the first time his lover had silently killed someone with a very very high skill level looking for him.

Duncan had no idea what to do.

He watched the clip over and over. Looking at the fighting styles Methos effortlessly shifted between. How easily he deflected his opponents blade.

His lover was beautiful to watch, but deadly, oh so deadly.


	5. Chapter 5

Duncan went down to the bar to open up and later on Methos came in to visit, after all the two were rather inseparable now a days. A friendly greeting was called out, with an 'I miss you and love you so much', whispered in his ear as he got close up to Duncan.

'hey there', Duncan said back, as he tried to think of what else to say, how to say what he knew he would have to say.

'When I was over at Joe's today, I found a disk of his that was labeled with 'Methos fight' and a date. It was the date of your last fight... I wondered why he hadn't sent it into the watchers under your Adam persona. Then I watched it.'

Methos looked at him, rather blankly, waiting to see Duncan's reaction.

'Yes...' Methos said.

'You mislead me. You told me I couldn't fight your battles for you, but I didn't know literally I couldn't, that I wasn't capable of them. Why do you still hide from me. Why do you tell me nothing. I know you camouflage your self from others but to make your self less than you are around me... that's not ok Methos. I want all of you. Ok? Even the part that can rip out a mans heart. Ok?' Duncan said.

Methos looked at a loss for words, 'uh...' he said, 'it's just instinct to me Duncan. Nothing personal... and I knew you liked to think you were protecting me. That you enjoyed knowing you were a little better than me. I didn't think you would like knowing I could take you with ease, ok? I still don't like you knowing... That wasn't the extent of my skills either Duncan... that guy was easy pickings. I spent years fighting side by side with Kronos, been in more armed campaigns than I could count. I've taken more heads than immortal's you've ever met. Of course I can fight! You just assumed and I didn't want to correct that assumption. Is that so bad? You know what else Duncan? I'm much more powerful than I feel. I pull in my quickening, sometimes so its undetectable. I know lots of 'old magic' if you will. You are like a beacon others can feel from far away. Yet I don't attract attention. Didn't you wonder why that is? I can try and teach you some things if you want I suppose, I just tried so hard to not play the role of teacher outright with you. I don't know if your strong enough yet but I guess we could try. I should be showing you new things. I should be trying to make you better. I was just worried you wouldn't want me.'

Duncan reassured him it wasn't so, that no matter what he loved him, and that all he wanted was to know him better.

The bar was still mainly empty, so Methos snuck in close to Duncan and kissed him briefly on the lips. Duncan smiled at him, happy they'd gotten threw everything alright.

The next day, Duncan bothered him immediately, 'so show me some of those styles you were using, I haven't even seen some of them before, nothing like them.'

'Well you learn something from every fight, right? Well I have been in tons of fights, also that 1500 year killing spree, when I was with my brothers we all practiced constantly. You fought Kronos, well I was his teacher... I taught all of them, groomed them to my needs. I just taught them too well to be what I needed them to be at the time. They were never able to change like I do, you know I found Kronos when he was 3 years old?' Methos told Duncan.

Then they started to spar, Duncan asking Methos about different moves he'd seen him make. Methos showed him patiently, expanding on some things, showing more moves in different types of styles. Soon they were both sweaty and out of breath. Methos had thousands of years of fighting to pull from, he could do this for years.


End file.
